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It’s a Wonderful Wi-Fi

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December 19, 2018

It’s that magical time
of year when family and friends gather ‘round a crackling fireplace, the smell of homemade
cookies fills the air, and an annual tradition is renewed when Frank Capra’s classic,
“It’s a Wonderful Life,” finds its spot at the top of the holiday movie
playlist. We’re reminded by the movie’s lead character George Bailey of simpler times,
and how each of us is shaped by life’s milestones and unexpected events.

We might even ponder — like George — what life might have been like if we’d
never been born. Based on how many family members are checking their smartphones as the plot
unfolds in Bedford Falls, I wonder what life would have been like without Wi-Fi. What if Wi-Fi had
never been born?

A quick look at competing technologies paints a bleak picture!

Bluetooth everywhere

Instead of Wi-Fi hotspots, the landscape is dotted now with Bluetooth hotspots. Given
Bluetooth’s short range, that’s a lot of hotspots! Within the home, the Bluetooth
hotspot is more crowded than the lottery ticket line for Hamilton. And with four people
sharing a 1 Megabit pipe, don’t expect to win a round at Fortnite anytime soon.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” buffers at the very prospect.

A tangled web

Had enough family bonding around the Bluetooth hub? It might be time to roll it old school with
the trusty Cat 5 cable. Unlike Wi-Fi, where everyone shares the airwaves, the Cat 5 home is cable
chaos. With each family member needing a dedicated cable, every room in the house has become a
tangled trip hazard. High marks for data rates quickly give way to “Have a nice trip; see
you next fall.”

HomePlug to the rescue!

Ah yes, HomePlug. The nascent technology that was going to make Wi-Fi unnecessary because every
home and business is already wired for electricity. HomePlug allows devices to communicate with
each other, and the internet, over existing electrical wiring. Now instead of tripping over
Cat 5 cables, everyone is battling for the closest power outlet to the TV. Never heard of
HomePlug or “Powerline Communications?” Don’t worry, you’re not alone. You
can still find a few pieces of HomePlug gear on Amazon.

$4K for 4G?

If staying unplugged but connecting with a smartphone is your thing, there’s always the
4G option. Lost and need directions? Just ask Siri. Want to know how many stars Yelp gave the
restaurant you just discovered? That was easy. Need to post an update and selfie to Facebook?
Done. For most things, 4G works pretty well — at least until you get the dreaded
“You’ve reached your data limit” screen. In a world without Wi-Fi, LTE
subscriptions have skyrocketed … and so have the data overage and roaming charges. When the
$4K/month 4G bill finally arrives, the “Family plan” doesn’t seem like such a
great idea after all.

Wonderful Wi-Fi

Just as George Bailey realizes how many lives he’s touched, it’s easy to see how
Wi-Fi has helped to reshape the world and keep us connected at very high speeds wherever we roam.
Wi-Fi continues to see new advances at a similar pace to LTE, and they both continue to complement
each other, even as 5G becomes
a reality. We’ve come a long way since the first 802.11 PCMCIA cards had to be jammed
into our laptops in the 1990s. We’ve seen both range and data rates grow as 802.11 standards
have marched through a steady cadence of alphabetical suffixes: a, b, g, n, ac, ad,
af, etc.

The latest iteration of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6
(also known as 802.11ax), is helping to improve wireless connectivity in the smart home and the
IoT. Wi-Fi 6 promises better coverage in the home, and distributed Wi-Fi that delivers
seamless connectivity in every room. No more losing service in the basement or the Front Room Over
Garage (FROG)!

Distributed Wi-Fi (or
Wi-Fi mesh) will use small satellite routers to share a strong, reliable connection throughout the
home, further empowering IoT connections. Now you can use your voice assistant to preheat the oven
and record your favorite show — all while wrenching on your car in the garage.

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About the Author

Brent DietzDirector of Corporate Communications

Brent has seen a lot of engineering and technology during 30+ years in the tech industry. His primary role is making geek-speak understandable to the non-geek public, reporters and nontechnical analysts. It's challenging — simplifying without distorting — and it helps to have a sense of humor. Brent does, which he shares with readers from time to time.